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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Sports as Entertainment

Entertainment is an activity that holds the interest and attention of an audience at the same time giving delight and pleasure. These activities or events have developed through the years with the objective in mind of keeping an audience's attention. Since individuals have different preferences in entertainment, people's attention is held by different things. Most forms of entertainment are common and familiar like, music, drama, dance, storytelling and different kinds of performances existing in all cultures. Sports have found their way in the field of entertainment as promoted by media and sports organizers in almost all countries of the world.

The Audience

Entertainment evolves and can be made to suit any scale, ranging from an individual who wants a private entertainment from a collection of pre-recorded products; to live performances developed for thousands; and even for a worldwide audience. An important factor of entertainment is the audience, which turns a private recreation or leisure activity into entertainment. The audience may be passive as in those watching an opera, a play, a television show, or a movie. Likewise, the audience may be active, as in games, where the audience takes part in the routine.

Games are played sometimes for entertainment at other times for achievement or reward. These games can be played alone or in teams; online by professionals or amateurs. The players may have an audience of non-players, such as when people are entertained by watching a chess championship or in the case of boxing when public utility drivers pull over and stop at the road side just to watch Manny Pacquiao punch his opponent or himself getting punched.

On the other hand, players in a game may constitute their own audience as they take their turn to play. Often, part of the entertainment for children playing a game is deciding who will be the player and who will be part of the audience. The game of billiards has its players taking turns in putting billiards balls into the pockets of the billiard table. This game is also seen by an audience and it is entertaining. There are times billiard games and championships at that are held in malls so many people can watch. Others watch from their homes through televisions or the internet.

Equipments

Equipment varies with the game being played. Board games, such as Monopoly, Chess, or Scrabble need a board and markers. One of the oldest board games ever known is Senet, a game enjoyed by the people in Ancient Egypt. The pharaoh Tutankhamun loved this game. Card games, such as poker and black jack have long been played as evening entertainment among family and friends. A deck of playing cards is all that is needed for this type of games. Bingo, played by many in malls and centers have been created to involve the participation of non-players via gambling. Cards and markers are also used in this type of game.

The list of ball games is quite extensive. It includes, for example, volleyball, badminton, basketball and many others using various types of balls. The options cater to a wide range of fitness and skills levels.